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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — for digging
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rule — government
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tear — from crying
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rule — a law
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. tear — to rip
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com